Saturday, January 15, 2011

KARACHI: Police on Friday lodged an FIR into the murder of Wali Khan Babar, reporter of Geo News, who was gunned down in a targeted attack last night in Liaquatabad.

The FIR No. 08/2011 was registered on the complaint of deceased brother Muhammat Khan Babar at Super Market Police Station.

Babar, 29, was the first reporter to die in the line of duty in Pakistan in 2011.

Investigation officer Khatim Khan Marwat said that police have found five cases of spent 9mm bullets, adding that fingerprints have also been taken from the vehicle. He added that further investigation is underway.

Meanwhile reports from across the country say that journalists’ community of Pakistan on Friday took out protest rallies across the country against the brutal killing of Wali Khan Babar, a reporter of private news channel and demanded constitution of judicial commission to investigate the murder.

Hundred of journalists gathered outside Peshawar Press Club to condemn the vicious killing of Wali Khan Babar, while performing his professional duty in Karachi on Thursday evening.

The journalist community expressed deep resentment and observed black day against targeting of another colleague. Pakistan Federal Union of Journalist (PFUJ), a national organization of the journalists’ community had also strongly denounced the incident. To condemn the killing of Wali Khan Babar, protest rallies and demonstrations were held across the country, including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Led by President, Peshawar Press Club (PPC), Saiful-Islam Saif, the protesting journalists were carrying placards and banners inscribed with slogans against the killing of their colleague. The students of different political parties also joined the protest demonstration to show solidarity with journalists’ community.

The students protest demons were spearheaded by Secretary Information, Awami Natiional Party, Arbab Tahir, and Convener PPP-Shaheed Benazir Group, Arbab Khizar Hayat, along with dozens of student activists of Pukhtuns Students Federation. The protesters demanded of the probe into incident through via independent judicial commission.

The Khyber-Union of Journalist (KhUJ), president Syed Bukhar Shah, and General Secretary, Aneela Shaheen were also present on the occasion. The participants of protest rally marched from Railway Station, Peshawar Cantonment and culminated near Deans Shopping Mall.

Speaking on the occasion, Shamim Shahid, Provincial president, South Asian Forum Media Association (SAFMA) strongly condemned the brutal killing of Wali Mohammad Khan and said that the figure of journalists’ martyrdom had rose to 28 while performing professional obligation. The role of security agencies was remained vague to desist the prevailing unrest situation in Karachi, he lamented.

President Peshawar Press Club, (PPC), Saiful-Islam Saif said the killing of Wali Khan Babar is not a first incident, there was large number of journalists targeted by miscreants in different provinces, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He called upon the government to expose those involved in Killing of Wali Khan Babar and carryout probe into incident through independent judicial commission. The president of KhUJ, Syed Bukhar Shah also condemned the brutal killing Wali Babar, and said he was a dare and sincere journalist.

Journalists in Hyderabad held a protest demonstration here on Friday profoundly condemning the slaying of Wali Khan Babar, reporter of a private television channel in Karachi the other day. They demanded effective investigation into his murder and retribution for those involved in his killing.

On the occasion, slogans were raised for protection of the lives of journalists and sanctity of the profession. The protest was led by President Hyderabad Press Club Muhammad Hussain Khan, Ali Hassan, Azizullah Malik, Sohail Sangi, Mahesh Kumar, Ishaq Mangrio, Jafar Memon, Hamid Shaikh and others.

In Islamabad, Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) condemned the tragic demise of Wali Khan Babar, journalist working with a private television channel in a terrorist attack and observed countrywide Black Day on Friday. The union staged protest relies, hoisted black flags at the offices of Union of Journalists, media centers, press clubs to expresses their resentment over the tragic death of a journalist.

Condemning this incident in strong terms the PFUJ said this incident has once again proved that working conditions for media practitioners are not safe. The PFUJ said in the year 2010 as many as 21 media related employees were killed in various incidents including target killing, bomb blasts and suicide attacks.

In the last 13 days of the first month of 2011, two media persons have so far been killed. The PFUJ pointed out that despite killing of media persons none of the killers have so far been brought to justice which itself speaks volumes about violence and lawlessness in which media persons are forced to perform their professional assignments without any security.

PFUJ directed all journalist bodies and UJs (union of journalists) to hold protect rallies after Juma prayers and hoist black flags on the roof-tops and also wear black arm-bands. It demanded of the Sindh Chief Minister and other high-ups of the province to take immediate steps for the arrest perpetrators and announce compensation in line with the compensation of security personnel.

The PFUJ asked the civil society, intellectuals, lawyers and other segments of society, including political, human rights activists to protest against the killing of Wali Khan Babar and express solidity with the media persons.